Improving quality of oxidized asphalts



Patented Mar. 7, 1944 IMPROVING QUALITY OF OXIDIZED ASPHALTS Kenneth G. Morris, Westfield, N. J., assignor to Standard Oil Development Company, a corporation of Delaware No Drawing. Application January 8, 1941, Serial No. 373,613

3 Claims. (Cl. 196-74) This invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of oxidized coating asphalts and it relates particularly to improvement in the softening point-penetration relationship of oxidized from a reduced crude by distillation or other suitable means and blending the high softening point asphalt bottoms with a suitable light oil to the desired flux consistency. For example, a

asphalts. 5v Venezuelan crude was first topped by distilling In the preparation of coating asphalts by the on" 25% of the volatile fractions, such as gasoline oxidation of asphalt fluxes, difliculties have been and kerosene. The reduced crude was then disencountered in producing satisfactory coating tilled to give 43% of 187" F. softening point bot a phalt from Straight duced petroleum oil toms, 21% of a heavy side stream (heart) out fluxes. This is the result of the demand for ashaving a flash of 585 F. and 36% of a 385 F. phalt having rather narrow limits in softening flash point, light overhead distill te, Th 137 pq -p relationship in CombinafiOn F. high softening point bottoms was blended with with low stain. This softening point-p et tio the 385 F. flash temperature light overhead disrelatlolQshlp of an 0x16112661 fl a gene! tillate to give various grades of asphalt fluxes, ally beimprovedby using a softer OXldlZlIlg base, and similar consistency bases were also prepared but this also raises stain or causes some other by blending the high fte ing point asphalt with physical property to become unsuitable. A typ1- 485 F. flash point oil out prepared by topping cal asphalt suitable for use in the manufacture the 0 R flash overhead distillate i a l 92? inatenals x P 2 53 The 75% reduced Venezuelan crude was also g F igg 0 5 reduced by distillation (that is, straight reducgg ig g c ft i f T a; 0 0 tion) to 74, 84 and 102 F. softening point as- T stain refe r re l t; in th is 3:56 is obtained phalt fluxes which were then oxidized to coatby a method which consists briefly of placing mg asphalt?" The table Summarizing physia button of coating asphalt between several cal propeimtles of coatmg \asphalts oxldlzed from thicknesses of paper under a dead Weight of 400 both straight reduced and blended fluxes shows grams, and maintaining the assembly at a conthat the cfmslstency 9 the.b1.ended flux as well trolled temperature of R fer five days to as properties of the l ght distillate used control insure contact of the asphalt and papers. The improvement obtamed' The coatmg, asphailts degree of staining is indicated by the number of Oxldlzed from softemnig P Sheets of paper on each side through which the blended fluxes made with 385 F. flash distillate oils in the asphalt penetrate, have the desirable combination of properties pre- Many crudes when straight reduced by distilla- Viously mentioned, which are not obtainable by tion yield asphalt fluxe which do t oxidize oxidation from straight reduced fluxes of the t cgating asphalts meeting th requirements Same consistency. The results on the blends given above as typical specifications. However, according to this invention, oxidizing bases can be prepared which will oxidize to satisfactory asphalt by eliminating the heart or heavy cut made with the 485 F. flash overhead likewise show that satisfactory coating asphalts will only result from the use of overhead within a limited flash or consistency range,

. OXIDATION STUDIES Comparison of coating asphalts oxidized from straight reduced and blends of bottoms and overhead fractions from reduced Venezuelan c'rudes softening point softening point /200 penetration 1. Oxidizing base:

Composition- Per cent 187 /S. P. btms... Regular-.. 62 53 Regular..- 66 58 Regular... 73. 5 63 Per cent 385 flash O. 11.... Straight... 38 Straight.-. 34 Straight.-- 26. 5 Per cent 485 flash 0. H Reduced.. 47 Reduced.- 42 Reduced.. 37

Physical inspections- Spec. grav. at 60 F. 1. 004 1.015 1.015 1.010 1.011 1.013 1.015 1.020 1.020 Flash, F 485 415 505 500 420 515 505 420 525 Softening point, 74 76 78 84 84 87 102 104 107 Pen. 77/100 g./5"... 300+ 300+ 300+ 300+ 176 188 162 Pen. 32/200 g./60 216 290 162 121 168 107 32 58 46 2. 215/225 S. P. coating asphalt:

Physical inspections- Spec. grav. at 60 F 1.031 1. 031 1.032 1.031 1.032 1. 021 1. 036 1.037 1.033 Flash, F 525 455 500 540 470 525 565 495 520 Softening point, F 221 218 220 219 219 220 221 218 222 Pen. 77/100 g./5 17 18 17 15 19 18 12 12 16 Pen. 32l200 g./60-- 7 10 ll 9 8 8 5 6 8 Stain 2% 3% 4 3 3 4 2 2 The examples given above should not be considered as limiting this invention to fluxes within the softening point range cited. For other crudes, adjustment in softening point of asphalt bottoms and consistency and flash point of distillate, as well as consistency of the final blended flux, is often required in order to obtain oxidized asphalts exhibiting improved characteristics.

This method of blending and oxidation for the production of oxidized asphalts with improved properties may be extended to include oil fractions, having flash points between 350-460 F. and asphalts between 150-290 F. softening point. which may in a similar manner be blended to fluxes of suitable consistency or softening point and oxidized to asphalt in the range of 150 to 300 F. softening point.

I claim:

1. An improvement in the manufacture, by oxidation, of coating asphalts which comprises blending 15-70% of 350 to 460 F. flash point oil, such as would be obtained as overhead distillate from a petroleum reduced crude, with 85-30% of 150 to 290 F. softening point asphalt and oxidizing to produce an asphalt having a. softening point-penetration relationship of 218 to 222 F.

softening point and 18 to 22 penetration at 77 F./100 grams/5 secs.

2. An improvement in the manufacture, by oxidation, of coating asphalts which comprises blending 15-70% of 350 to 460 F. flash point oil, such as would be obtained as overhead distillate from a petroleum reduced crude, with 85-30% of 150 to 290 F. softening point asphalt and oxidizing to produce a coating asphalt having a softening point-penetration relationship of 218 to 222 F. softening point and 18 to 22 penetration, at 77 F./l00 grams/5 secs. and stain of 3 or less.

3. An improvement in the manufacture by oxidation of coating asphalts which comprises fractionally distilling an asphaltic crude oil to obtain a fraction of 350 to 460 F. flash point oil and a residual 150 to 290 F. softening point asphalt, discarding the intermediate fractions, blending 15% to of the 350 to 460 F. flash point oil with to 30% of the 150 to 290 F. softening point asphalt and oxidizing to produce an asphalt having a softening point-penetration relationship of 218 to 222 F. softening point and 18 to 22 25 penetration at 77 F./ grams/5 secs.

KENNETH G. MORRIS. 

